China-Focused Volkswagen C Coupe GTE Previews Upcoming High-End Sedan

The new Volkswagen C Coupe GTE concept debuting in Shanghai may at first glance seem to be a repeat showing of the Geneva show’s VW Sport Coupe Concept, but this China-focused variant tells us much more about the future of Volkswagen upper-echelon range.

While the taut, Audi-esque design is more or less the same as the Geneva car’s, the Volkswagen C Coupe GTE’s greater size, different platform, and economical plug-in powertrain point the way forward for Volkswagen high-end expansion. The C Coupe GTE is the first Volkswagen model to ride on the company’s modular longitudinal matrix (MLB) platform. If it were to reach production, Volkswagen says it would slot in between the Passat and the Phaeton.

“The future of the new Volkswagen premium class models is starting in Shanghai because the C Coupé GTE very clearly shows the new ‘face’ of top Volkswagen sedans for the first time,” said VW brand chief designer Klaus Bischoff in a statement. “This sport sedan unequivocally demonstrates our premium standards. The evolution of the Volkswagen design DNA shown here will accompany us worldwide, and on the way to the new Phaeton.”

At 199.7 inches long, the C Coupe GTE is eight inches longer than the Sport Coupe Concept GTE, and its wheelbase is 0.2 inches shorter, while the Shanghai car is also slightly wider and taller at 76 and 56.9 inches, respectively. The car’s larger proportions suit the China-focused concept’s purpose as a stylish, luxurious, yet fuel-efficient variant that also serves customers who employ chauffeurs. Even the color, “Golden Atmosphere” is said to emphasize the Chinese market’s association with gold as a color representing “wisdom and tolerance, patience, and power,” according to a company release.

This concept also features a special chauffeur mode, which relays appointment and navigation information to the driver from the occupant’s smartphone. While this and many of the concept-car lighting features—like the illuminated front emblem, grille crossbar, and retractable door handles—may not make it to production, it is clear that the final production version of the Volkswagen C Coupe GTE will place a big emphasis on style.

Inside, the car’s interior is almost identical to that of the Geneva Sport Coupe concept. High-quality leather, steel trim, wood detailing, and advanced infotainment and instrument cluster displays nestle neatly into the horizontally arranged cabin. The rear seating area, designed for even greater comfort than up front, features a champagne cooler between the pair of rear seats.

Powering the Volkswagen C Coupe GTE is a plug-in hybrid drivetrain that has a lot in common with the Audi A6 L e-tron that also debuted in Shanghai. The concept uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with a 91-kWh electric motor for a total system output of 245 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, and a 14.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. It uses an eight-speed automatic transmission, driving power to the front wheels for up to 31 miles of all-electric range at a maximum of 81 mph (overall range is more than 684 miles).

What the Volkswagen C Coupe GTE concept confirms is that that there is a larger, CC-like model headed for a more upscale place in the VW lineup, especially in China. The upcoming CC bound for the U.S. or Europe may focus more on performance, as the 3.0-liter direct-injected gasoline V-6 and dual electric motors from the Geneva concept suggest.